The Promise of an Orchid
by petiteneko
Summary: Navi could never figure out why Zelda had befriended Link as Sheik... Warnings inside.


Before you read: This is against the claims that Link falls (deeper) in love with Zelda after realizing that she is Sheik. Of course, I'm not really against pansexual!Link, but taking a look at it, Link thinks that Sheik is a GUY throughout the game, and any attraction Link would have for Sheik will imply that Link prefers the male company, unless he's pansexual and just like the personality of the person, not caring about their sex.

Warning: Zelda bashing, chalkful of angst, character death

Disclaimer: Only 1.5 characters in this fanfiction are mine and their names aren't even mentioned.

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><p>Link was just a simple child when we had started our journey, and he was one when we finished. I never knew what the Goddesses were thinking by sending out a <em>child<em> into the middle of a war, and I guess that I'll never know. Link always looked up to me, always expected that I would have the correct answer, and I was knowledgeable, but there were even some questions that I couldn't answer. I could hazard a guess at why they sent a child into war, especially after that child's world drastically changed. They wanted somebody who would succeed past any obstacle; they wanted somebody who would be naive enough to listen to what other _good_ people said; they wanted somebody who couldn't make important decisions by themselves. However, I could not understand Zelda's logic showing up to us the way she did. She _knew_ Link would listen, and yet she came to ensure that. She _knew_ Link craved acceptance and friendship from those around him – it was only natural after being the outcast is entire life. So _why_, _why_ did Zelda become Link's friend?

Couldn't she see that it would tear him apart?

Link cherished Sheik's company. Sheik was the only one who continued to stay with him – yet Sheik would never approach him. Sheik would never let Link touch him. All Sheik was was some poetry and a song, but that was more than anybody gave Link. Sheik appeared to actually like Link, he seemed to enjoy Link's company.

So of course Link cherished Sheik. Sheik was his important friend, even if that friend was very secretive. Sheik was his companion, his guide, his ally.

Sheik was there at the beginning to help Link. Of course Link, and myself as well were suspicious of this man we did not know, but seeing that his words resembled that of Rauru's, we decided to trust him.

That trust may have been well-placed, but it was detrimental in the end.

Link was surprised to see that Sheik had made it through the Lost Woods because those who were not of the Kokori were said to become stalkids, deku scrubs or other monsters. Yet, soon the visits became a routine that Link eventually looked forward to them. At the time I was happy for him because he finally found a friend that was of his own species. Of course, the Sheikah and the Hylian's weren't exactly the same – but I was completely different from Link, as were the innocent Kokori. He found somebody of his own age, somebody who could relate to him.

I was a friend to Link myself, but we also had a mother-son relationship, one of a tutor and student. He would always complain about his troubles, inform me of the wonderful things he never experienced before – like watching the sun set over Lake Hylia, or seeing the ice in the cavern. So when Link had informed me over a fire in the Gerudo's shelter that he really wanted to kiss Sheik, I was not surprised. The only thing that had slightly shocked me was the confirmation of his sexuality. It wasn't as if I had my doubts (I mean, with all of those female friends and no real interest did raise curiosity) but I didn't judge him. No, he was and would always be Link. He could love a five-headed alien and it wouldn't matter. Link told me that he would try to tell Sheik that at the final temple.

… It didn't go as planned. Every time Link tried to get close to Sheik, he backed away. Every time Link would open his mouth to say something, Sheik interrupted him. Link ran out of time and he reluctantly played his ocarina and didn't even notice that Sheik had gone before it was too late.

"Link, I'm sure you'll see him again." I was even convinced at Zelda's act, I was certain that the man with red eyes was Sheik of the Sheikah, not a disguise for a renegade princess. So, when Sheik shed his disguise and became the surviving royal family of Hyrule both Link and myself were shocked. However, it was only Link who wore that look of confusion, who felt that betrayal. Something was torn away from Link, and I knew that he could never regain it.

"Link…" I said in attempts at consoling him, but he just stared at the spot where Sheik ceased to exist. I will never understand his turmoil. I will never understand the feeling of having your loved one be replaced by somebody of the opposite gender and of an opposing personality. Sheik was a source of comfort and support. Zelda, on the other hand, was a source of trouble and vulnerability. The moment she shed her disguise was the moment all of her secrets were open. There was nothing hidden about the princess of Hyrule – except her reasons for befriending Link instead of being a stoic guide. If Sheik had been harsher, had been just a person to relay messages and songs, then Link would have not been so torn.

Truthfully, I hated Zelda for what she did to Link, but Link could not hate Zelda. Zelda was Sheik, and Link really liked Sheik. I don't know if Link ever loved Sheik truly, and I do not think Link will ever know either. Their time was too short together for Link to really contemplate his emotions for the Sheikah, and then if Sheik did not exist, but was in fact Zelda…

I hate Zelda because Link had convinced himself that the emotions he felt for Sheik were really for Zelda. I wanted to explain that it was not the case to Link, but he would have already known, and that was his only way to cling to his first crush – and perhaps love. Zelda was overjoyed in her own emotions that she did not notice Link's forced ones.

Link tried, Goddesses' he did, but I could tell that his professed love was superficial. There was a certain spark missing, and instead there was hope and sorrow in its place. Hope for any sign of the Sheikah Link had feelings for but sorrow from the knowledge that it would never appear. It was heart breaking, but there was nothing I could do. Link would not take heed to my advice because he _knew_ that he knew better, but he continued with the charade anyway.

I still could not figure out why Zelda did what she did. Nor do I understand how she could not understand Link's agony. How could she think that taking away an only friend and a crush would be okay? How could she think that all the emotions that Link had for Sheik would automatically transfer to her? Sheik and Zelda seemed like totally different people… I just could not get how somebody blessed with Wisdom could make such a _stupid_ mistake.

However Hyrule may think so, Link and Zelda would never live happily ever after. All I could do was watch as Link enabled himself to become wound up in marriage and politics, how he just allowed himself to become the husband and king of the queen of Hyrule. And I watched how distant Link seemed in _every_ aspect of their relationship, how he tried to convince himself that somewhere within Zelda there was a Sheik. I couldn't watch Link tear himself apart anymore, but when I tried to suggest that he get himself out of his mess it was too late. I had called to him before the queen came in with excellent yet damning news: She was having a child.

Link's fate was now set in stone. If not by law, then by morals. Link could never leave his future son or daughter alone. However, the one good thing that came out of their child was that it livened up Link. It awoke him out of life of pretend; it made at least some part of his life _not_ a lie.

He doted their child, he passed on all of his learned skills to their son. He paid more attention to the boy than to Zelda, but when the child needed to be educated in the ways of a King Link was left longing. That child was his grasp on reality.

So when their child fell into an eternal sleep by sickness Link's grip slipped. His stability was worse than before, and I can not say that he was completely right in the head. Most of the time he was bedridden with grief that varied from his son to Sheik to the sages that no longer existed in this world. He was getting weaker, and I could tell that. Link looked far older than his own years, and his will began to fade.

And at Zelda's decision for a lack of heir had finally revealed to me a possible motive.

The queen had arrived in Link's room in a disguise she long shed. In Link's less-than-sane state, his brain did not make the connection that had brought him into his current state. To him, it was not Zelda standing seductively next to the door, but the Sheikah man who was his guide, his friend, his companion, and his only crush. His mind entered its own delusion in which Sheik truly existed. I had to leave out of disgust, and not privacy. To me, Zelda had violated Link in the worst possible way. She _did_ know. She _knew_ that Link wanted to be friends with Sheik and depended on it. She _knew_ of the feelings Link developed for Sheik and used them to her advantage. She _knew_ everything, and she did nothing about it except to use it to her own gain. She had destroyed a man for her own kingdom. And I knew that Link would not live to see the child that would most likely form from their coupling. Link was dying and I had to accept it. My child was dying and it was all due to a woman's manipulative grasp but all I could do was stay by his side until the very end.

When that time came, Link was unconscious but still breathing and I finally voiced my opinions to the queen.

"How could you Zelda?" I seethed. "You _used_ Link and look where he is now!"

There seemed to be guilt on her face, but I could never forgive her. "I know…" She whispered, but she would not receive my pity. "And that's why I know I need to set things right." The woman reached out to grab the Ocarina of Time. "I'll send you two back in time… it will not correct my wrongs here, but perhaps the past will be better. You two will forget everything, but there is one thing Link shall remember – and that is his knowledge of Ganondorf to ensure that the dark times do not fall again.

I moved closer to her and my small hands slapped her face. "You are despicable and I hope that this time line suffers for your actions. Nothing good comes from evil. You are damned your majesty, and I pray that you will never be forgiven for your transactions."

"Think what you may Navi." Zelda said quickly before she placed the blue wind instrument up to her lips. Her dormant triforce began to glow before the melody of the Song of Time whispered past and encased both Link and I, sending us back through time. Hopefully Link would live his happy ending this time around…

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><p>AN: I state that once the child died, I somewhat made Zelda more villainous than before, but I remain with the claim that Zelda and Link would never really have a Happily Ever After if Link - not being pansexual or bisexual- transfered affections from Sheik to Zelda. (Although, if I found out that somebody that I thought was a girl and I liked her turned out to be a boy I knew, I'm not too sure that I would be able to transfer my affections to him... thought process is twisting at that predicament...)

I'm going to have interesting reviews...

Oh and just to let others know: I am not against Zelda x Link, but using the Sheik reason as a catalyst for the relationship wouldn't work unless Link is one of the variables that I stated he wasn't above. (nor am I against fem!Sheik x Link, but I am NOT going into that xD)

If somebody can guess why I used the title, I give you a cookie, but if you are also a flamer it will be a burnt cookie.


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